Kissing the witch
by Nea-9
Summary: Based on Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow" movie. Sort of a character study about Lady van Tassel.


Disclaimer: This fanfiction is based on the story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (1820), but first and foremost on Tim Burtons movie Sleepy Hollow (1999). I own nothing. A violation of copy rights is not intended.

English is not my first language, and this story was not corrected by a beta reader. Please have mercy, I am trying my best.

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Kissing the witch

_"On the overall I am inclined to think that a witch should not kiss. Maybe the not being kissed is what makes her a witch the air of loneliness around her..."_ Emma Donoghue, Kissing the Witch (1999)

Sleepy Hollow was a town that had never seen broad daylight. It lay hidden in the shadows, fog and rain were its constant companions. Even on a beautiful day, the light was to be described as milky at best. For that reason, people almost were looking forward to winter, even though the harsh season brought no comfort to the shivering children underneath their thin woollen blankets, but at least the white snowflakes cleared the grey, giving the landscape a fresh and unspoiled look, easing the beholders glance.

Pale flowers grew on the meadows, and pale green leaves were blowing under the dark night sky. Pale were the childrens cheeks, and not even the cold wind in the moor could paint them red. Pale were the stars and pale was the moon that faded from the sky every morning.

And pale was she, pale just like all the other women in Sleepy Hollow, pale like fading light.

But then again, comparing her to the other women in town would have been wrong. Yes, her features seemed to have been born out of the sallowness that was so characteristic for this region, but there was something foreign - even exotic about her. Her powdery blue eyes held a clear shine that no other woman here possessed, her flaxen hair seemed to have been tinted in gold, and the scarlet in her lips never passed away.

Yes, Lady Mary van Tassel was certainly different from the rest of Sleepy Hollow.

Well, it has to be mentioned that the Lady wasnt born here, into the tristess of this place.

She came as a nurse to Baltus van Tassels first wife, and cared for her during her sickness, for over a year. After her death, Baltus didnt even have the patience or decency to wait the mandatory time before he decided to wed again. Nobody in Sleepy Hollow had been surprised by this move though. Baltus liked to surround himself with beautiful things, and she certainly seemed fit for his collection. A pale, but rare diamond.

That and the fact that she looked so much like Baltus deceased wife had made her the perfect fit for him.

The woman who became Lady Mary van Tassel was well liked around town. She was quiet, but witty and possessed a sharp mind, she never shied away from hard work, followed her husbands requests without ever complaining and led his household well. The van Tassel assets seemed to bloom under her hands.

Her knowledge of herbs and other healing methods had helped to build a loose friendship to the villages midwife, who consulted her in difficult cases.

Yes, the Lady was certainly friendly and likeable, but still - there was something strange about her, even if no one could put a finger on it. The men seemed to notice it more than their wives. They quietly envied Baltus for being married to such a respectable woman, and sometimes caught themselves having somewhat impure thoughts of her.

Then again, they knew that others were having them too.

Hadn't Reverend Steenwyck stuttered and almost forgotten what he wanted to say during his homily last Sunday because his eyes had been fixed on the black stone in the Ladys necklace that seemed to rest so serenely between her breasts? And didn't all of Baltus friends spend much more time at his house now that the Lady officially lived in it?

Of course, all of them knew that the flaxen-haired beauty belonged to van Tassel, and to van Tassel alone.

Brom van Brunt sighed as all these thoughts passed his mind and as he let the axe crash onto the log that rested on the chopping block in front of him. He had been chopping wood for the better part of the day, and his arms were hurting him by now.

After pulling a tiny shred out of his finger, he placed another log onto the block and continued his work.

Here, in the wide yards behind the van Tassel manor, he was quiet far away from the Western Woods, but there was no birdsong today, so the beating of his axe was the only sound to be heard for a while.

Until suddenly he saw Mary van Tassel walking on the path down the hill, softly singing to herself. He knew that she had planted her garden back here, and indeed he watched as she started to tend to her plants.

Funnily enough, if she hadnt been such a wealthy, socially high ranking Lady, Brom was sure that some people would have been accusing her of witchcraft.

Mary noticed Brom and quietly nodded his way, acknowledging his presence with a small smile.

The young man returned the gesture, and watched as she carefully picked blossoms of a hedging plant.

Really, to a strangers eyes, Mary van Tassel could have been Katrinas biological mother. Only those close to the family knew better.

Maybe it was to be blamed on Broms long hours of work, maybe it was his exhaustion, maybe it simply was his lack of concentration, but suddenly the log he had just picked up slipped from is fingers, and in the attempt to keep hold of the piece of wood and his axe at the same time he cut his hand open on the axes sharp blade.

"GODDAMN!" Brom screamed in pain and surprise, watching the angry red blood stream breaking from his flesh. How could this have happened?

"Brom!" the Ladys voice startled him for a second, for a moment he had forgotten she was even there.

She crossed the field with graceful strides, skirts billowing around her hips, a worried look on her face. He had somehow expected her to chide him for using the Lords name in vain, but she only pulled a white handkerchief out of her sleeve and pressed it against the wound in the palm of Broms hand.

"That looked like it hurt." She said, smiling softly at her soon-to-be son in law.

"It certainly did." Brom answered, biting his lip, and watched as she tied the handkerchief around his hand in a complicated manner.

Realizing that something more was in order, he quietly bowed his head. "Thank you, Lady van Tassel."

She smiled, shaking her head lightly, indicating it was alright. "There. That should suffice until you are home. You should show it to Katrina though. You dont want it to get..._oh_!" she called, discovering another small cut on Broms finger.

Without even thinking- or at least that's what it seemed to Brom- she lifted his hand to her mouth and brought those soft, full lips of hers to the injury on his skin, taking in a small droplet of blood.

Broms body stiffened immediately at the more than intimate touch. She was the woman of another man, the step mother of the girl he wanted to marry they shouldnt even be here, nor should her mouth be on his skin! But then Brom just felt unable to move. The world suddenly was so quiet, he could hear his own heartbeat echoing in his ears, and by the way she opened her eyes to look at him she heard it too.

Slowly, she let go off his hand. "Better?" she asked, smiling at his obvious confusion, amusement shining in her eyes. Was she making fun of him?

Brom closed his eyes for a moment. Yes, she was playing with him a little. Most young, unmarried men were quite inexperienced when it came to women, but he decided not to give her this little victory. He knew it was more than inappropriate, it was dangerous, and it was simply brainless, but his male pride had been hurt. Brom wasn't a child, he was a grown man! And he certainly was going to prove this to her!

"Yes. A lot actually." he answered, leant down and softly pressed his lips against hers.

He had expected her to immediately step out of his embrace, but to his surprise she stayed, returning the kiss, even slightly parting her lips.

The kiss was sweet and deep, soft, dark and oh so forbidden. A gust of wind tore a golden strand of hair from Marys carefully dressed hairdo, letting it brush over Broms face.

She broke the kiss and smiled at him. "Not a word to anyone about this. Do you understand?" Her voice was not cold, no, but Brom understood. He understood perfectly well.

"Mary, my dear!" Baltus voice almost caused the much younger man to jump out of his skin, but she didnt even flinch, nor let she go of his hands. Lord van Tassel was walking up the step hill and around the few trees to where Mary and Brom were standing.

Judging by the smile on his face, he hadnt witnessed their small act of adultery.

"I came to tell you that..." Baltus stopped mid-sentence as he saw his wife holding the young mans hands. "What is going on?" he demanded, the smile was all gone now.

"Dear husband, Mister van Brunt hurt his hand while chopping wood for us." Mary turned Broms palm up, so Baltus could see the red blood slowly seeping through the white handkerchief. "Katrina and I asked him to do this small favour for us you see how many rowan berries are growing this year? Its going to be a harsh winter."

"Oh, well go into the kitchen, Brom, and have your hand looked at. Mary, I need to talk to you about tonights dinner. More guests than we expected are coming and I..." Baltus reached for his wife and placed his arm on her hip, leading her into the other direction.

Brom exhaled quietly. No, Baltus hadn't seen them. And yes, he treated his wife like a possession. Well, there was nothing wrong with that, but deep down Brom knew that tonight, Baltus would lie with her, and his hands would be everywhere on that perfect body of hers. The thought sickened him.

As if she was reading his mind, Mary turned around and smiled sweetly at Brom. And in that very moment, the young man knew he had just been kissing a witch. And he never told a soul.

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This was my first Sleepy Hollow fanfic. Please tell me what you think about it. Oh and btw, I have no idea if rowan berries are actually growing in that particular area.


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